1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a musical-factor data changing device and a chord processing device for use in an electronic musical instrument. More particularly, this invention relates to an improved musical-factor data changing device for changing data representing a musical factor according to the contents of a sequence to be performed, and further, relates to an improved chord processing device by which a chord performance and a chord input operation are facilitated.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in the technical field of electronic musical instruments, there is utilized an electronic musical instrument for storing sequence information, the information elements of which concerning performances are arranged in the performance order, for sequentially reading the sequence information and effecting an automatic performance by using the read sequence information. The sequence information comprises a plurality of elements of key number data and step-time data. The key number data represents pitches of musical tones; and the step-time data represents a time from a moment corresponding to the first note of a piece of music (i.e., the first note of the first bar of the piece of music) to another moment at which a sounding of a musical tone of the piece of music is started.
When effecting such an automatic performance, a player must preset musical-factor data (e.g., timbre data designating the timbre of each musical tone, transposition data, and tempo data denoting the tempo at which the music is performed) in an electronic musical instrument before an automatic performance is effected. Namely, prior to the automatic performance, the player must set the musical factors by turning on a timbre switch corresponding to a desired timbre and adjust a transposition knob or control and a tempo control, to thus set the desired data.
Where each musical factor is established prior to an automatic performance as above described, however, the musical factors are not changed but are fixed thereafter until the performance is completed. Consequently, the conventional electronic musical instrument encounters a problem in that the content of an automatic performance becomes monotonous.
Therefore, a countermeasure has been considered whereby, in the middle of an automatic performance, the timbre switch is placed in another position and/or the transposition control and the tempo control are operated, but it is very troublesome to carry out such a countermeasure in the middle of a performance. Further, it is necessary to timely perform such a countermeasure, because the content of the performance becomes unnatural if such a countermeasure is effected at a pause (e.g., an end of a bar) during a performance. It is very difficult, however, to timely effect such a countermeasure.
Furthermore, the conventional electronic musical instrument provides a function known as a fill-in function, i.e., a function of changing the content of an automatic performance of one phrase or two phrases in response to a depression of a fill-in button thereof in the middle of the performance. Nevertheless, the content of the performance returns to the original content thereof after such a fill-in performance (i.e., the performance using the fill-in function) is completed. Moreover, the fill-in button must be operated for executing the fill-in function, and thus the conventional electronic musical instrument encounters another problem in that the execution of the fill-in function is troublesome.
Further, various devices to be employed in the conventional electronic musical instrument for the facilitating of a chord performance have been proposed. For example, a device for performing an automatic chord-form performance has been proposed whereby the automatic chord-form performance is effected by automatically repeating a chord performance by continuing to press (or by once pressing) each of the keys of an accompaniment portion of a keyboard corresponding to the musical tones of a chord, while an automatic rhythm performance is effected.
Another proposal is for a device for effecting a one-finger chord performance. An this device, the one-finger chord performance is effected by automatically repeating a performance of a type of chord (e.g., a major triad) by continuing to press (or by once pressing) a key of an accompaniment portion of a keyboard corresponding to a root of the chord, while an automatic rhythm performance is effected and, for example, the type of chord to be performed is changed according to the number of pressed keys, explained below. Namely, the type of chord is changed to a minor triad by simultaneously continuing to press (or only once pressing) another key together with the key corresponding to the root of the major triad, and then the type of chord is further changed to a seventh chord by simultaneously continuing to press (or only once pressing) still another key together with the keys respectively corresponding to the minor triad.
The automatic chord-form performance can be effected by only turning on each of keys corresponding to musical tones composing a chord to be performed, and thus it is not necessary to repeat an on-and off-operation of each of the keys. Consequently, a chord performance and/or a chord input operation can be facilitated. A problem remains, however, in that all of the keys composing the chord must be pressed, and thus the finger manipulation becomes difficult. In contrast, when performing the one-finger chord performance, the finger manipulation becomes easier. A problem arises, however, in that the number of types of chords available cannot be more than the number of fingers, and thus is five at most.